1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of browsers used on a network such as the Internet and more particularly to a three-dimensional browser.
2. Background
Browsing the Internet using a browser is known in the art. Two popular browsers are Netscape Navigator, commercially available from Netscape Communications, and Internet Explorer, commercially available from Microsoft Corporation. A browser is a computer program that allows users to view hypermedia documents on the Internet such as the World Wide Web.
A user typically invokes a browser program on a local computer and interacts with the browser to control the selection and display of information found on the Internet. For instance, a user typically uses a mouse and clicks on a particular hypertext. The browser extracts the hidden reference information associated with the item and uses that information to determine which remote server should be contacted and which item should be requested from that server. A browser then closes the connection and displays the information to the user.
One disadvantage of using a two-dimensional browser is that, with respect to virtual three-dimensional web sites, it is difficult to determine where the two-dimensional browser is located relative to three-dimensional elements in a virtual three-dimensional web site. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a browser that addresses this disadvantage associated with the conventional browsers.